When the rain is particularly acidic, it is usually due to the combination of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen dioxide and moisture in the atmosphere. This combination ultimately results in sulfuric acid or nitric acid, which then falls to the ground as precipitation. The resulting low pH rain can damage ecosystems, melt statues and generally make things difficult for everyone.
[Mohammed] decided to try to predict acid rain by building a simple device based on an Arduino Nano. It records SO2 levels with an MQ-136 gas sensor and NO2 levels with an unspecified MEMS-based sensor. There’s also a DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor in the mix, which is important because moisture content plays a role. The Arduino reads these sensors and uses a simple predictive algorithm to create an “Acid Rain Risk Score” that is displayed on a 16×2 character LCD screen. It’s all wrapped up in a fun 3D printed case that looks like a cloud.
There are some limitations to the device. This is because it does not necessarily give a good indication of atmospheric SO2 and NO2 levels in the atmosphere, especially at altitudes where rain is forming, because the sensor is located indoors in the device. However, the basic concept is there and improvements can certainly be made with some upgrades and further research.
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